All You Wanted
by Draco'a Draca
Summary: How does Draco Put an end to hermione's pain when Harry betrays her? Love, Passion, hate, and Catfights.
1. A Little Bird

All You Wanted Chapter 1:A little Bird  
  
"Hermione wait!" Harry Potter called through the crowded hallway as he ran as fast as he could towards the retreating back of Hermione Granger, his best friend and girlfriend. But she never turned, just pushed quickly past the students rushing to class. Most stopped to see what the famous Harry Potter was yelling about in the middle of the charms hallway, but Harry ignored the curious stares as he made a mad dash towards the crying Hermione.  
  
She was running faster than Harry had thought possible, Hermione never seemed the fast type. More of the bookish indoors girl, but she could hold up her own in a race, or, in this case, a chase. The bell rang and Harry hesitated, he knew Hermione wouldn't want to miss a class, but under the circumstances she might not care. He was about to continue his chase when Flitwick looked out into the hall from his classroom.  
  
"Is there a problem Mr. Potter? I'm about to start the class." The teacher's high-pitched voice caught Harry off guard and by the time he looked back in the direction of Hermione's route, she was gone, and could have gone down a number of hallways.  
  
"No Professor, I'm coming."  
  
*  
  
Hermione Granger kept running long after she could no longer hear Harry calling after her. She was surprised the distance she had traveled, all the way from the astronomy tower, to where she finally stopped to take a breath in the Transfiguration hallway. She was especially surprised because she had been crying the whole way. She couldn't believe it. He had done it again. After he had promised never to do it again, that she was the one, that there was no one else. When she opened the heavy door to the astronomy tower and saw Harry and Ginny kissing, not just kissing but full frontal snogging, when she looked up from her star chart and felt her stomach drop and her heart ripped to pieces. All she could think about was running, getting away, from him, and getting away from the pain.  
  
Hermione sank to the floor as a fresh wave of tears crashed past her eyes and fell down her tear-streaked cheeks. She pulled her knees up against her chest and sobbed into her hands. The pain was still there, she hadn't left it on the astronomy as she had hoped, it was in her and eating her up. She thought he loved her, that he couldn't live without her. He had said so much more then that, holding her, looking into her eyes. How could he lie like that, looking into her eyes, into her heart, her soul? She hated him, she hated that she still loved him, even through all the pain. She was ashamed, she had trusted him after the first time she caught him with another girl.  
  
It had been Cho Chang, a week after they had started dating she caught him kissing her in the library. He said it was to make sure of his feelings, to make sure there were no feelings left for Cho. That was almost a year ago, a year next week, a year October 12.  
  
They spent their whole 5th year together and now, so suddenly, she felt alone.  
  
*  
  
Draco Malfoy sat back in his chair, tipping it lazily. Advanced Transfiguration was a drag. It was a mixed class, mostly Gryffindor and Ravenclaw students. He was the only Slytherin and there were absolutely no Hufflepuffs. Professor McGonagall was going on and on about the dangers of transfiguring a human into any form of insect. They had gone through this last week, but they were doing it again since most of the Ravenclaws hadn't been there because of a mysterious 'flue' that had taken to half the 6th year Ravenclaws, Draco had another name for it. Mono. The Ravenclaw had been running around like rabbits in heat all through September, you couldn't turn a corner without seeing something the resembled two students clad in robes (if you were lucky) with the Ravenclaw crest.  
  
As a Prefect Draco had the immense pleasure of deducting points for the 'indecent exposure' in the halls. Ravenclaw, for the first time (since 1659 when Morgan Demoeiert slipped potion into all of the teacher's goblet turning everyone of them into slugs), was in last place in the house cups. Eventually the teachers had to threaten the students with notices to their parents, that stopped most of the snogging but there were a few brave students still sneaking about at all hours of the night.  
  
Draco looked over to the empty seat next to him. Granger wasn't there. Finally, some peace and quiet. He could skin McGonagall alive for arranging the seats. He had to put up with know-it-all Granger for the past three months, and their attitude towards each other hadn't changed a bit. But under the watchful eye of McGonagall, Draco hadn't been able to make Granger cry.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy did you hear what I said?" Draco had let his mind wonder, McGonagall was standing in front of his desk looking as pissed off as the time he turned Longbottom's chair into a pile of horse manure. Draco leaned forward and leveled his chair off.  
  
"I'm sorry Professor, I must have missed it." He smirked at the teacher hoping he could avoid trouble but, someone must have pissed in her porridge that morning because McGonagall was fuming, and as she stalked back to the front of the classroom she banged her book onto her desk, making the class jump, and turned fiercely to face him.  
  
"Then I'm sorry Mr. Malfoy but I'll have to take ten points from Slytherin," She picked up her chalk and turned to the bored. Not turning from her writing she added, "and I want you to get out of my classroom, you obviously have to need to be here." He didn't move, neither did anyone else. He was shocked, that was all too extreme for not paying attention. "I said out!" again the class jumped and Draco collected his things and stomped out of the classroom as if it were his intention to get kicked out, slamming the door behind him.  
  
"Old bag," He muttered to himself as he pulled his tie loose and headed down the hall. Now he had a free period and nothing to do. That was his last class of the day and it was still a while until dinner would be served. But before he could decide on what to do he turned the corner to see a girl sobbing loudly. He was about to give the student heck for not being in class, seeing as he was a prefect, but then he saw it was Granger. Even better then a first year.  
  
*  
  
" Granger." A cold voice sneered. It was enough that she was heartbroken, Malfoy had to be the first one to come across her. She knew she should have made her way back to her dorm and lock herself in her room. She decided to ignore him, maybe he would just leave. She pretended to melt into the wall and continued to cry, more silently. But this was Malfoy and he wasn't going to just leave. "Granger, you are skipping a class, as a prefect you should know better, I'm going to have to deduct points from Gryffindor for you bad behavior, and report you to Professor McGonagall. She wont be very happy." Nothing. "So how many points do you think is acceptable Granger? 20? 50? Yes I think 50 points should do don't you?"  
  
"I don't care Malfoy do whatever you want." Hermione stood, deciding to leave, she wiped her face of tears and tried to push past Malfoy but he had her cornered. Not meeting his eyes, she spoke through her clenched teeth, trying to keep from crying. "Could you move please?" her voice shook and came out strained, it was hard to see the floor through the tears waiting to pour out of her eyes.  
  
"Granger, Granger, Granger," Malfoy said not moving. " What did Potter do this time?"  
  
*  
  
"Granger, Granger, Granger," Malfoy said not moving. " What did Potter do this time?" This did not get the response Draco had expected, instead of glaring up angrily at him like she usually did at any mention of her and Potter's 'relationship'. Instead of saying something nasty back, Hermione Granger burst out crying in a fresh wave of tears. Tears unlike he had ever been able to produce out of her. He panicked.  
  
"Um.Granger.What did I say?" He asked trying to keep his sneer, but failing. Last time he saw someone cry this hard was when his grandmother died and his mother found out. Hermione tried to push past him again but he grabbed her by the shoulders and kept her where she was. "Was it the Potter thing?" he didn't know why he was asking, maybe because for once he was feeling guilty, ashamed for making her cry, but when her crying grew louder and she nodded he felt even worse for it. Unsure of what to do, he started to steer her towards the prefect bathroom, which was luckily close by. After giving the password 'Caboodles' he sat her on the chair at the edge of the pool size tub and handed her a tissue box.  
  
"Look Granger, should I get your friend the little Weasley Brat?" The box of tissues came flying at his head, and he ducked just in time, the metal tin that decorated the tissue box hit the wall behind him with a loud crash. "Look Granger, I don't appreciate being violated like that! All I'm trying to do is help, god knows why. Now either tell me what Potty Head did and why Mini Weasley has your knickers in a twist or let me go get McGonagall." He strode over to stand in front of Granger, crossing his arms waiting for her answer, kind of hoping she didn't hex him. She stood up and paced a few steps before sitting back in her chair, maybe thinking whether or not she should tell him.  
  
"I found Harry kissing Ginny in the tower." She said, silent tears streaking down her face, her lip trembling. Draco felt like a git, he just had to mention the two people she was crying over. But before he could think of what he was doing, he pulled the girl into a hug, and she wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her face into his robes, soaking them with tears.  
  
He could feel her shaking and felt as hopeless as when he held his mother when she was crying for her own mother's death. Granger was supposed to be his archenemy's best friend. A mudblood, a lower being. But all he could think of was how helpless she sounded. Damn it, he thought to himself as he rubbed Granger's back softly, I'm going soft.  
  
"Ok Granger, don't cry over that wanker, he's not worth It." She pulled away slightly to wipe her face and laugh pitifully. He pulled out his handkerchief and pressed it into her hand. She wiped the remaining tears and then blew her nose loudly. "You can keep it." Draco said trying to be funny, and she did laugh, but it was hollow and fake.  
  
"Thanks," she said pushing it into her pocket and pulling out of the embrace, "And not just to he hankie but for, being, you know, nice." She laughed again, this time with feeling, and continued. "I'm sorry, I soaked your robes." She took out her wand and cleared the large blotch of tears on the front of his robes.  
  
"Number one, Granger..." He began but she cut him off.  
  
"Hermione, no more Granger." He was caught off guard but continued.  
  
"Number one, Hermione, it's a 'handkerchief' not a 'hankie'," with a fake stern tone. "And number two, don't mention it. Potter is a git and the Weasley girl has been making eyes at him since second year. My father always says.well I don't think you need to know what my father actually says, but . a bit of advice, once a cheater always a cheater." Hermione's eyes widened and a tear slid down her cheek. Damn it!  
  
"You know about that?" She asked wiping her eyes with the handkerchief again.  
  
"About Chang?" She nodded, fingering the stitching that made the initials DM on the handkerchief. "Yea, everyone kind of heard it from Brown and Patil, those Gryffindor girls gossip a lot." The bell sounded in the hall and Draco looked at his watch. Wow, he thought to himself time sure does fly when you're being a git. The sound of voices and feet passing the door got loud and then died down.  
  
"Harry will be looking for me. I don't want to talk to him ever again." Hermione said moving to the sink and washing her face with cool water from the tap and then used a fluffy red towel to dry her face and hands. Her eyes were still puffy but her face was no longer red.  
  
"Potter isn't a prefect and he wouldn't look for you here anyways." Draco said putting the tissue box back on the shelf. There was a nice dent in it, and in the wall there was a chip of paint missing. He was glad that hadn't hit him.  
  
"Harry has a way of finding me, or anyone for that matter, at Hogwarts." Hermione shook her head at her reflection in the mirror and turned to the door. "I'm just going to go to my dorm, and sleep."  
  
"You should go to dinner and face the music Gra-Hermione. Anyways why lock yourself away, he's the one who was wrong." The words sounded alien to Draco and he almost laughed at himself.  
  
"Your right." Hermione said smoothing down her hair and pulling open the door. "If anyone is going to lock themselves up it is Ginny and Harry. Come on, foods getting cold." The walked the two floors to the great hall in silence, and when the reached the door, Draco gave her a hopeful smile and the opened the double doors.  
  
Silence. Everyone turned to look at Hermione. But Hermione ignored the stares and went to sit at her usual spot at the Gryffindor table, next to Ron. Harry was nowhere to be seen and a beet red Ginny was practically under the table trying to hide from Hermione. As Draco made his way to his spot at the Slytherin table, whispers started and soon the whole hall was talking as if nothing had happened. Word spreads fast at this school. Draco thought as he ate his bangers and mash.  
  
* Draco dumped his books onto his bed, he pulled off his shoes and sat on the duvet, a soft green velvet trimmed in silver silk and embroidered with majestic black and silver snakes, twining themselves together as they slithered towards the head of the bed, where many cotton down pillows in silk pillowcases sat on the satin sheets. He pulled his D.A.D.A textbook towards him and stretched out across his bed, like a cat stretching in front o a warm firs. Bit it was hardly warm in the Slytherins' dorm, the stonewalls were damp and allowed cool air through cracks. The only warmth was in the often-crowded common rooms, where a fire was always lit, but then only a few feet around the hearth was heated.  
  
When Draco took out a fresh scroll and his expensive red crow feather quill, he paused to listen. Silence. It was quiet in his dorm, the other boys all off fooling around not worrying about homework. Unlike Draco, they never worried about their work of responsibilities. That's what set him aside from his dorm mates, and most other Slytherins. Most relied on their cunning instincts to get ahead in life. Like his father. The thought of his father ruptured the peace of the dorm. His father never should have been born. Draco hated his father with all of his soul, all of his very being. His father had beaten the words of evil into him, literally. His father was the true reason for his hate, his dislike, and his nonchalant-in-everything attitude. His father was the core, the very reason for Draco's hate, and for Draco's stinging words. Letting his mind wonder on the very hate his father had instilled into him, Draco thought of the afternoon, mere minutes ago. Hermione Granger had been crying and he went soft. Maybe it was because he had never been able to raise such a response with all his cruel words. Maybe it was his growing hate for his father and everything he was. Maybe it was what he was planning to do.  
  
The Plan.Maybe he was crazy, maybe Dumdums was crazy for thinking he could be the one for this. But he promised himself that he was only doing this because of his father. Not for Dumbledor's reasons of peace. Not for anyone else. But how had that decision changes his reasoning? And even if that was the reason he had helped Hermione, comforted her, how had it so quickly change him? It had only been two days since the beginning of the plan.  
  
NO, it was just the shock, and the disappointment of not being the one to finally cause the Mudblood to snap.  
  
"Damn it, Mudblood doesn't even sound right anymore!" Draco said out loud, tossing his textbooks and papers of his bed and laying back to star at the canopy. "No, I have to stop calling her that for the plan to work, he had to eliminate the hate for Dumdum's plan to actually work  
  
If it didn't work there would be hell to pay. If it only half worked he would still have to deal with his father. And surely his father wouldn't hesitate to kill a traitor, even his own son.  
  
*  
  
"Do you think its wise headmaster? There is a lot of hate brainwashed into him. He has known only hate. There isn't mush love in that house, and you can feel the pain while your standing on the front steps." Snape said, almost pleading with his trusted friend.  
  
"Exactly Severus, the hate will ignite a fire, the hate he has for his father is greater then any other hate he has. And that hate will save us all from a lot of pain. Also there is love in his life, they have no idea now but there is the potential. And I believe it has begun."  
  
"Have you had another vision Albus?" Snape said, fear and excitement rising in his voice. But his friends shook his head, deflating the excitement, but a smile played on his lips.  
  
"No, just, a little bird told me."  
  
*  
  
A/N: Should I continue? Should I take the only copy of this and set it on fire? Should I hide for 10 years so the villagers are sure to pass with the pitchforks? Review so I know! Anyways I think we all know where this is going; eventually (if the villagers pass) this will be a D/Hr fic. 


	2. A stomper, A full Moon, and A Tower

A Stomper, A full moon, and A tower  
  
Hermione sighed as she closed her Transfiguration textbook. She had spoken to Professor McGonagall about her absence from class and offered to do extra credit work, which she had completed along with the assigned homework. But instead of feeling she had accomplished anything, Hermione felt weary of the library. Weary of the library for the first time of her life. She suddenly found her familiar corner of the library too secluded and closed in. The air was stuffy with the smell of old books, a smell that she used to welcome, something that was invigorating when she was ready to start a project.  
  
She stuffed her books into her bulging bag and grabbed her cloak from her chair. Some fresh air would help her feel more up to studying, she decided, and headed towards the entrance hall. Maybe she could clear her mind and push the thoughts of Harry that had been plaguing her mind since the moment she walked in on him and one of her closest friends.  
  
When Hermione reached the front doors she stepped out into the cool air taking a deep breath. The air was crisp and chilled Hermione's skin sending goose bumps across her bare arms. She wrapped her cloak around her and preformed a warming charm to keep the chill off her face. When she reached the lake she almost went to her usual spot but stopped herself. Harry had asked her out there, had given her their first kiss there. She turned from the smooth rock that had been their spot and talked towards the weeping willow on the opposite bank of the lake. She cleared the dirt around the base of the trunk and dried the spot of the October mud. When she was settled she closed her eyes and listened to the sounds around her. The swaying of the willow tree, the splashes of the lake as the octopus dunked its tentacles in and out of the water lazily. The sound of birds flapping to get to their trees as the sun quickly faded behind the forbidden forest. She could smell wild chamomile growing at the banks of the river and it clamed her.  
  
"Hermione?" she was snapped out of her trance by the sound of her name. Hoping against hope that it wasn't Harry, looking for her at their spot and finding her across the lake, she turned to see not jet-black hair of Harry Potter, but the wispy sliver of Draco Malfoy. He was standing decked out in Quidditch robes and his broom in hand. She couldn't see the expression on his face because the flowing leaves of the willow caste long delicate shadows across his face, but his silver blond hair was unmistakable.  
  
"Draco?" She said standing from her spot and lighting her wand. It had grown darker how long had she been entranced? The light from her wand lit of the canopy of the willow tree and faded out the shadows so she could clearly see his face. He looked tired and sweaty. She guessed he was on his way back from Quidditch practice and had somehow seen her.  
  
"What are you doing here? It's getting late out." He stepped closer and took out his own wand lighting it, but shining it out of the canopy and scanning around the bank of the lake and the forest which was unsettlingly close. "Full moon tonight, not a good idea, common lets go." He grabbed her bag and set his broom hovering. "Get on then." He said when she just stared at the hovering broom.  
  
"I don't think so, I'm not getting on that." She said stepping away from the broom and towards the castle, but he grabbed her arm and turned her to face him.  
  
"Your not afraid are you?" He asked a smirk donning his face faster then you could say Quidditch. Hermione shook her head lying and stuck out her chin.  
  
" No, I'm not afraid, brooms and I just don't mix." He laughed and pulled her closer to the broom. She shook her head again and tried to grab her bag but he held it out of reach and pushed the broom closer to her.  
  
" Come on Hermione, this is a top of the line Stomper 2002, your not going to fall or anything, besides, would you rather be eaten by a ware wolf? Common don't you trust me?" He looked serious and Hermione almost faltered but shook her head again.  
  
"Please Draco, I don't want to I'd rather take my chances with the wolf." Just as the words left her lips they could hear the distant sound of a wolf howling. Hermione bit her lip.  
  
"See, common, lets go." He slipped his grip from her arm to her hand and pushed the broom to her mounting level. "Get out and I'll go in front of you, and I'll stir and you wont have to worry, or even open you eyes, ok?" Hermione nodded and mounted the broom, shaking slightly as it raised slightly to meet Draco's mounting height. As soon as he mounted he hovered out of the willow's canopy and then kicked of the ground. Startled Hermione grabbed onto Draco's waist, her head against his back and her eyes clamped tightly shut. She could feel the wind whipping past her face but it didn't chill her as she still had the heating charm still on.  
  
When she took the chance of opening her eyes she regretted it instantly. They were high up, so high that she saw the forbidden forests' trees as miniscule green and brown blotches and they were parallel to the highest tower. She squealed and gripped Draco more tightly around his middle. She could hear him laugh over the roar of the mind. Hot tears escaped her tightly squeezed eyes and she prayed to god that she didn't fall off.  
  
"Do we have to be this high up?" she yelled over the whipping wind, keeping sure her eyes didn't wonder back downwards towards the faraway grounds of Hogwarts.  
  
"No!" Draco screamed back, "But unless you want to be seen flying after hours with everyone's favorite Slytherin then I think we should go through one of the towers." Hermione nodded, even though she knew he couldn't see her response and placed her head against his shoulder trying to block out the vision of the ground rushing to meet her as she fell. She cried silently and shook with fear. She had always known her fear of flying, Muggle planes would never see Hermione Granger clam, but she never knew she would freak this much by a broomstick ride. The worse thing was that it was Draco Malfoy seeing her fall apart over a small fly. But then again he had been acting strangely nice towards her that day.  
  
The day that just keeps on giving.  
  
*  
  
She shivered involuntarily, and Draco felt it through his entire body. She was acting as if she had never been on a broom before. Maybe she hasn't gone more then the 5 feet they took to during their first flying lessons with Madam Hooch. He could feel her tears soak through his Quidditch robes and almost slowed the broom down, but the sooner they got to the tower the sooner the ride would be over. He probably should have risked going through the front doors but it wasn't something he had thought about at the time.  
  
Being a Quidditch lover, nothing could be better then flying. The adrenalin pumping though his veins when he kicked off the ground and the feel of wind whipping through his hair, everything about flying kept his heart racing and his spirits high. He had no idea what Hermione could be so afraid of. Did she think he would let her fall? Maybe she did. Maybe the past threats he had made against Muggle born witches and wizards were still very fresh in her mind.  
  
"Hermione? Are you ok?" he called over his shoulder, he could see the observation deck of the Astronomy tower now and picked up the pace slightly, she tighten her grip around his waist and clutched the fabric of his Quidditch robes tightly. She answered but her response was lost on the wind. He could see the flickering light of many windows as he pulled the broom back to slow down and then hovered a second before touching down on the weather worn stone of the deck. He quickly dismounted and spun to catch Hermione as she stumbled off the broom. She was hiccupping and tears steamed down her face, red from crying. "Are you ok?" He repeated and even though she nodded he helped her towards the door ok the tower, whistling for his broom to obediently follow. But before he could reach the door she fainted against him, almost pulling him down.  
  
Muttering to himself about why chivalry was dead, he scooped her up and started the long journey to the Hospital wing from the tower.  
  
*  
  
"What do you think your doing-Miss Granger? What happened?' Madam Pomfrey rushed over to the two students and lightly brushed the hair off her face. Draco pushed past the concerned woman and picked the bed closest to the large windows to set Hermione down. He used his elbow to pull the curtains back and when Pomfrey came by and pulled the covers back on the bed, and Draco placed Hermione onto the soft hospital bed.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy, I insist on knowing what you did to this poor girl?" Madam Pomfrey said as she checked Hermione's pulse and covered her with the heavy hospital blankets. A small double clock-like thing appeared into the air and monitored the beating of her heat and the rate of her breathing.  
  
"What I did?" Draco demanded, enraged instantly, here he was being nice and the first person he came across demands what he did. "Why do u assume I did anything? If you must know we were flying and she got so scared that she fainted." Pomfrey gave him a look that showed nothing but suspicion, but didn't say anything about it, instead she began to shoo him out.  
  
"Off you go, I need to inform Mr. Potter and I will not have you two fighting in my hospital." Draco refused to budge from his spot at the side of Hermione's bed.  
  
"You will do no such thing. Hermione does not want to see or even talk to Potter and I won't have him upsetting again today." Draco sat down in the chair next to the bed and sat staring at the sunned Pomfrey.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy don't be ridiculous, of course Miss Granger wants to see Mr. Potter, they are best friends and Mr. Potter wouldn't do anything to upset Miss Granger." Pomfrey said looking at Draco as if she had seen an alien.  
  
"Well he would and he has. So 'm not moving and potter isn't coming either." Draco settled back into the chair, resting his elbows on the arms rests and folding his hands into his lap. He gave Pomfrey a look that showed he was serious and then turned to look out the window towards the lake.  
  
"Well then, I'm calling the headmaster Mr. Malfoy, you better pray your telling the truth." The witch turned and disappeared into her office and shut the door behind herself.  
  
*  
  
"But if you planning on sending him out there, you can't be sure he will follow out with the plan. Albus, I know I recommended him, but I thought that we would at least try to persuade his thinking. But instead you told him all of our plans. How can you be sure of anything?" Snape asked his friend, upset for letting his emotions show how angry he was and as he waited for a response, the fire in front of them flickered and the face of a flustered looking Pomfrey popped into view.  
  
"Ah Poppy! What can I do for you?" Albus asked cheerfully sitting forward in his chair and smiling with knowing eyes. This unnerved Snape, Albus always had a look of knowing, as it came with real seers. But he never gave away whether or not if he actually knows what you were thinking.  
  
"Albus, Mr. Malfoy just came in with Miss Granger, he says she fainted, he also says that she would hate nothing more then finding Mr. Potter there upon her awakening. He refused to leave Albus. Maybe you could some and talk some sense into him." She cast a pained look over her shoulder and turned back looking annoyed, even though it was peacefully silent.  
  
"Well Poppy, I would if he were lying but I do believe Mr. Potter has betrayed Miss Granger's trust and in fact is the last person she would want to see. And as for Mr. Malfoy, I think we will allow him to remain where he is." Poppy was about to object but closed her mouth at the knowing look in the headmaster's eyes. She popped out of vies and Snape turned to look unbelievingly at Albus.  
  
"You can't possibly mean Granger! They have hated each other since they met each other."  
  
"We can't explain the ways of the heart, we can only observe and try to listen to what it's trying to tell us." Albus sipped from his mug of hot chocolate and stared into the fire. "Besides," he said after a moment of silence. "What else t conquer over evil with but love?" *  
  
"What do you mean I can't see her?" Harry said trying to side step the matron, who refused to let him in to see Hermione. "I thought you said she was fine." Harry had heard about Hermione hospitalization by Neville who had gone to the hospital wing early that morning with a sprained wrist.  
  
" I assure you she just needs rest, but that doesn't mean she if fit to see you." Harry was surprised to see how short the matron was being with him. She almost always shooed him away from the hospital wing but always gave in after a few tries. This time, however, he had been begging for a full ten minutes. Harry was about to try again when the Matron looked past his shoulder and spoke to someone behind him. "Ah, Mr. Malfoy, you found her bad alright?" Harry spun around to see Draco Malfoy carrying what was unmistakably Hermione's school bag.  
  
"Yes, she almost skinned me live when I told her I left it in the tower." Malfoy pushed past Harry shooting him a horrible look and Madam Pomfrey let him by her instantly, closing the door behind him.  
  
"What! You just let him in! What is he doing with Hermione's bag? I demand to see her right now!" Harry tried to push past the shocked matron but only got as far as his hand on the knob before he felt a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Mr. Potter? Are you harassing the Matron?" Grimacing Harry turned to face the voice that was unfortunately, and unmistakably, Snape's. The teacher looked tired and uneasy, but even so, found a way to make Harry's life hell.  
  
"No, I was just." before Harry could continue Snape interrupted, rather rudely, but it was Snape and that was expected.  
  
"Mr. Potter I believe no one in the Hospital wing is in need of you assistance, nor wants your company. So I think you should run along, classes are to start soon, and you wouldn't want Gryffindor to loose and house points for you tardiness do you?" Without an answer Snape stepped out of Harry's way and motioned him to leave the hallway. And with one last look at the closed door behind him, Harry trudged off.  
  
*  
  
Draco walked into the Hospital wing and to Hermione's bed. She had woken up half an hour ago and the first thing she said was about her book bag. The second was to scold Draco, who had spent the night in the chair next to her bed (though he hadn't said anything about that), scold him about bringing her to the hospital wing when he could have revived her right away.  
  
"Now I have to sit here all day and wait, I'll miss so much, and I promised Ron to help him with his potions assignment." She babbled on until Draco threw a pillow at her and what followed was a large pillow fight, ending when Pomfrey had come in to see her pristine Hospital wind covered in goose feathers. Seeing as though Hermione was in her 'condition', which conveniently took a turn for the worse after they had been caught, Draco had to clean the mess himself.  
  
When Draco left to retrieve Hermione's book bag from the astronomy tower he had warned the whimpering Neville not to utter a word to Potter about Hermione being in the hospital wing. But he saw upon his arrival that Neville had run straight to Potter as quickly as his legs could carry him.  
  
The sight of Potter had made his blood boil, the source of Hermione's problems, acting as if he cared. Screaming like a bloody lunatic, Draco could hear him from down the hall. As could professor Snape who had stopped Draco to ask about Hermione's condition. And all Draco had to say was 'she sent me for her book bag' for Snape to know Hermione was fine.  
  
Draco had found it curious that Snape had asked about Hermione but that was pushed out of him mind as he stepped into the hallway leading to the hospital wing, seeing Potter yelling at the Matron and then, being able to walk right past them both and into the room where Harry Potter wasn't welcome but Draco Malfoy was.  
  
"Was that Harry?" Hermione asked as Draco pulled the curtains around her bed back and dumping her bag onto the floor next to her bed.  
  
"Yes, but Pomfrey shooed him off, git was screaming on the top of his lungs." Draco sat back into his chair and pulled Hermione's bag into his lap. "Here is your transfiguration text book and you D.A.D.A text, and here is your Astronomy, damn thing weighs a ton." He stacked the books on her bedside table and took out her quills and parchment. " I have no idea why you would want to study, you don't need to and you have the day off."  
  
"What?" Hermione said falling back into her pillows in despair. "She isn't going to let me out? I just fainted from fright, its not like I starve myself!"  
  
"Might as well be starving yourself, your as light as a feather." Draco said, taking her food tray and stealing her toast.  
  
"Hey! I said I don't starve myself, give me my toast back! You don't want me to start another pillow fight do you? She laughed and then watched as Draco pushed the half toast folded in half into his mouth and bit down smugly. But she quickly whipped the look off his face as a pillow hit him right in the middle of the head.  
  
Five minutes later Pomfrey screamed herself horse.  
  
"OUT! I said out! Not just you Mr. Malfoy, Miss Granger you are discharged, collect your things if you can find them in this MESS and get out!" Through fits of laughter the two students escaped the gleaming eyes of the matron and sprinted down the hall and smacked right into a very tall wizard.  
  
*  
  
Second chapter, I hope everyone likes it so far, I know it's not the best but I have to establish a bond between our two main characters.  
  
I just want to thank everyone who reviewed. I would like to especially like to thank Jinglefairy who reviewed within five minutes of my posting the story, gave me a good feeling about this story.  
  
Dragon girl-thanks I'll try to remember a computer if the villagers swing by this way on their way back.  
  
Min.Min.ah- I'm not sure what you meant but you did say continue so thanks!  
  
Horse-girl- lol u had me worried a second there, thank you and I'll try, just could you do me a fav? What exactly did u think was good? Maybe I could do it again, because I don't write these storied my hands do, my minds just here for spell check.  
  
Stephanie- I think we might see Draco whip Harry's ass, but you'll have to see what happens, along with me, once again fingers write, mind proofreads  
  
Elvine wood nymph- Thank you  
  
Melissa- ok since you begged I'll continue.  
  
AnGeLwInGz- I think I'm sick of seeing Harry being so perfect that I had to make him evil. Thanks for your review.  
  
Morigan Riddle- Thank you, I'm glad this isn't a load of crap, so far.  
  
Jokester515- the plan should be entertaining, suspenseful and nerve wreaking. Can't wait to think the whole thing up! Just joking that is one part of the story I'm sure of.  
  
Marille- I'm glad you liked it, I was hoping people would, it's so nice to get good reviews!  
  
Thanks to everyone who took the time to read, even if you chose not to review. I hope this chapter was to your liking and there is only one-way for me to find out. Review please! 


	3. All Better Now

All Better Now  
  
A/N: I just watched Winning London with the Olsen twins and they say that their father is Lord Voldemort, I was laughing so hard! The guy that they said it too was from London, and he was like 'Hmmm sounds familiar.'  
  
For QOD15 who asked when Ron was going to show up I wanted to wait until there was some kind of bond between Hermione and Draco, so here you go, Enter Ron, stage left. And I just want to make it clear that the italics are flashbacks. *  
  
Through fits of laughter the two students escaped the gleaming eyes of the matron and sprinted down the hall and smacked right into a very tall wizard.  
  
*  
  
Ron could hear Hermione's unmistakable laugh from down the corridor, but her laugh was accompanied with another one alien to him. Ron could hear Hermione laughing and was instantly confused.  
  
Ron, of course, knew all about what happened the day before; he had given Harry a talking to as soon as he found him hiding out in their dorm.  
  
"Your in for it now Harry." Ron said pulling the curtains around Harry's bed back and shook Harry from his fake sleep. "Get up, up!"  
  
"Ron, shove off, I'm in no mood for a lecture." Harry said fighting for control of his covers as Ron stripped them from the bed and onto the floor.  
  
"Well get into a mood because your going to listen to me and then your going to fix everything." Ron used his superior size to yank Harry from his lying position and forced him to sit up and look at Ron, who sat on his own bed, fuming and livid.  
  
"I know I'm in for it Ron, Hermione is furious, and Ginny wont leave the second floor loos for fear of her life." Harry tried to lie back down but Ron kicked him sharply.  
  
"I'm not talking about Hermione Harry, or Ginny, I'm talking about me. I'm going to kill you. Number one, that's my little sister you were caught with, and number two, if number one isn't enough, Hermione is like another little sister, so that's my little sister you just cheated on." Harry looked taken aback by Ron's little speech and opened his mouth wordlessly but Ron didn't give him a chance to find words. "Now you're going to fix this all, I have no bleeding idea how, but you are going to make it all right again. I told you thins when you started all this with Hermione and not I'm telling you again. If you hurt her anymore then you have, I'm out." Ron stood up, and stormed out of the room, hearing only a faint 'Bloody hell' from Harry and slammed the dorm door.  
  
As Ron rounded the last corner to the hospital wing corridor, he felt the wind leave him as Hermione knocked headlong right into him. The laughing was cut short as Ron massaged his stomach and the other 'laugher' stooped to help Hermione up from the ground. When they righted themselves Ron staggered back from the shock of who he saw helping Hermione to her feet. Draco Malfoy. It was like opening your wardrobe and seeing a closet full of pink fluffy robes. Either someone was playing a sick joke or, you have gone completely bonkers.  
  
"Hermione? What are you doing with this git?" Ron demanded grabbing Hermione's arm and pulling her to stand next to him and away from the intruder. Ron could care less if he had just seen Malfoy help her off the floor, once an intruder always an intruder. "Did he do anything to you?"  
  
"Well hello to you too Weasley." Malfoy sneered in their direction and crossed his arms smugly.  
  
"Ron, let go of me, he didn't do anything, your being ridiculous." Hermione pulled her arm out of Ron's grasp and stood back to look at her best friend, hands on her hips and mouth pursed into a thin line. Ron looked from Hermione's angry face to Malfoy's smug one and grew angry, but decided to stay calm.  
  
"Come on I need to talk to you." He tried to grab her arm again but she pulled back from him.  
  
"About what Ron?" She said testily, she looked as if she knew what he wanted to talk about but was being her stubborn self.  
  
"About Harry, lets go, Malfoy' ugly face is creeping me out."  
  
"Weasley, I wouldn't talk about being ugly, your mug could stop Avada Kedavra." Forgetting his decision to remain calm Ron lunged past Hermione and slammed Malfoy against the wall, hearing a sickening crack, but ignored it and started hitting the smirk off Malfoy's face.  
  
"Ron stop it!" Hermione yelled desperately.  
  
* "Ron stop it!" Hermione yelled desperately. She tried to pull Ron off Draco, who had been unconscious the instant his head hit the wall and the red blood started to seep out staining the wall and Draco's hair red. Ron seemed to be blind to the fact that Malfoy had gone out cold, as he was still muttering curses.  
  
"Filthy, fagot, pouf." Ron continued to hit Draco as his body slumped to the floor and the pool of blood spread out from his head and onto the cobblestone. Hermione jumped on Ron's back and finally pulled him off of Draco, but Ron continued to kick out at the still form on the floor and tried to free himself from Hermione.  
  
'Ron! You'll kill him! He's bleeding Ron, we need to get him to the Hospital wing!" Hermione said successfully pinning Ron to the ground and sitting on his heaving chest, one knee on each of his arms. "Ron snap out of it!" Tears were escaping her eyes as Ron still struggled to free himself, and Hermione muttered a small 'sorry' and pulled out her wand stunning him.  
  
As soon as Ron's Struggling stopped Hermione left up and dashed her tears away with the back of her hand and levitated Draco, blood still dripping and she ran as fast as she could back to the hospital wing. Some force from Hermione slammed the door wide open and when Madame Pomfrey burst out of her office a split second later the look of horror and frustration that passed across her face was enough to make her scream.  
  
But Hermione wasn't the one to scream. Pansy Parkinson, who followed the Matron out of the office, let out the worst scream Hermione had ever heard. Parkinson pushed past the matron and took one more look at Draco's motionless body and slapped Hermione right across the face. Hermione staggered back and pressed her hand to her red-hot cheek. Rage emitted from Pansy's eyes as she pulled her hand back another time to hit Hermione, but Hermione directed her wand in the direction of the hurtful girl in front of her and Parkinson dropped her arm.  
  
"What did you do to my Draco you mudblood filth?" Madam Pomfrey seemed to snap out of her shock and pulled the offending Pansy away from both Hermione and the bleeding Draco. Hermione felt she could kill the girl but the matron stood sternly between them.  
  
"Miss Parkinson I will not have any of that in my hospital wing. Please go back into my office and wait for me there. Miss Granger bring Mr. Malfoy to a bed, I will get the Marille potion." Hermione ignored the looked she was getting from Parkinson and hurried over to the bed where she had just spent the night, and just as she set Draco gently down onto the freshly made bed the matron was back with the Marille potion. "Help me turn him over Miss Granger, the cut is to the back of the head and this will clean his wound." When they had him over on his stomach Hermione blanched from the sight of the gash in his head. She was never one for the sight of blood. The matron wasted no time in pouring the purple liquid onto the deep gash and when it began to smoke Hermione immediately recognized it from potions, it was meant for cleaning wounds, and she knew that it he were conscious it would sting horribly.  
  
" Miss Granger, I'm not one to pry, but what in the world happened?" Pomfrey had pulled out her wand and closed the gash, so the only evidence that there had been a cut was the mound of sticky red hair that stained the pillowcase and the sheets as well.  
  
" Its all my fault, I should have just gone with Ron, I knew Draco couldn't just let Ron say anything to him without retorting back. Draco made a moment and Ron attacked him. I couldn't stop him, I tried, I stunned him, and he is in the hallway still." Hermione was crying again and she hardly heard the spell Pomfrey used to clear the blood out of Draco's hair and clothing.  
  
" Weasley did this to Draco?" Parkinson said pushing Hermione away from Draco's bedside and looking worriedly down at him. Neither Pomfrey nor Hermione noticed the girl remain in the hospital wing. "Father is hearing about this!" she turned without another word and dashed out of the hospital wing, no doubt in search of an owl.  
  
"Miss Granger remain with Mr. Malfoy, I have inform the headmaster and his head of house. When he wakes up I want you to call me right away. And stop crying he'll be fine." The matron left and Hermione pulled the chair next to the bed closer to the edge of the bed and took up his hand.  
  
"I'm sorry Draco," she whispered and watched his chest rise and fall with the steady breathing of sleep. "But you shouldn't have said that to Ron, you know his temper, you shouldn't provoke him like that see where it gets you!" Hermione felt the tears come again and she buried her head in her arms and cried into the mattress. The emotions of the last two days swarmed her and she couldn't stop crying if she tried.  
  
*  
  
Draco's bed shook with the near silent sobs of Hermione Granger. Draco opened his eyes only to shut them again in pain. His head was searing with the pain of twelve of his worst headaches. But just as he thought he could ignore the shaking of the bed and fall back to sleep, Hermione let out a wretched sob. He opened his eyes again, and clenching his teeth against the pain, he squeezed the hand that held his. As if being waken from a dream, Hermione snapped her head up and looked wide eyed at Draco.  
  
"Draco your ok!" She stood up and swooped down hugging his aching body against her. He could feel her hot tears on his neck as she started crying into his shoulder and felt his heart pick up speed. She was doing weird things for Draco and he couldn't tell if he liked the new feeling. I have no feelings for Hermione, Draco thought to himself as he hugged her back, trying to calm her down.  
  
"Of course I'm ok, Hermione your chocking." He laughed and she pulled back, now sitting on the edge of his bed, hands still on his shoulders. She smiled and laughed too but stopped at the look in his eyes. "Hermione," he said taking her chin in his hands and turning it gently to the side. "What happened? Who slapped you?" Hermione's smile dropped as she looked out the window.  
  
"Your girlfriend," she said but continued when he looked at her confused. "Pansy Parkinson was here when I brought you in and slapped me without a word. It doesn't hurt much." She was obviously lying, Draco gently touched the red welt on her face and she sucked back a gasp of pain.  
  
"You're going to have a nasty bruise there, did you hit her back?" Hermione looked at him appalled and he couldn't help but laugh at the look on her face.  
  
"Do not laugh Draco, I will never lower myself to be as unruly and un-lady like as that monster of yours."  
  
"Stop referring her as 'mine' I detest that girl. And I recall being on the receiving end of you being un-lady like, Miss Granger, or did u forget?" she playfully slapped him in the shoulder and he grimaced as if she had punched him. "Ouch! Weasley did a number on me, I'm all sore."  
  
"Oh my god! I forgot Ron! Hermione stood up abruptly and turned to leave but Draco grabbed her hand.  
  
"What about Weasley?"  
  
"I had to stun him to get him off of you, I left him in the hall, oh he's out there alone." before she could finish the door opened and Dumbledor walked in, followed by a floating Ron and then a smug looking Snape.  
  
*  
  
The door opened and Hermione sighed as she saw Ron being directed into the hospital wing by the headmaster. She felt Draco squeeze her hand before dropping his and she hesitantly walked towards the bed that Dumbledor had set Ron down in.  
  
"Miss Granger, Professor Snape and I have just come across your friend on the way to see Mr. Malfoy," He paused and looked at Draco, who was struggling to sit up. "Hello Mr. Malfoy, how are you feeling?"  
  
"Smashing sir." Draco said finally sitting and rubbing his shoulder. "Just smashing."  
  
"Fantastic," Dumbledor said turning back to Hermione who bit her lip nervously. "We found Mr. Weasley and we were wondering which spell to use to revive him." He spoke as lightly as if he were speaking of the weather instead of reviving an unconscious student. "Better yet, we'll just leave you to cast the spell as we catch up with Mr. Malfoy." Snape and Dumbledor swept off to the bed where Draco was sitting, and Hermione went up to her friend's bed.  
  
"Oh Ron, you are such a dunderhead. Ennervate." Ron's blue eyes snapped and he looked around confused for a second before seeing Hermione.  
  
"Hermione, what's going on?" his voice was horse and he didn't seem to remember what had happened.  
  
"Ron, don't you remember? You attacked Draco, I had to stun you, and you were going to kill him." He was about to say something but she continued, tears escaping her eyes, "I'm sorry Ron, I was so scared and you wouldn't stop I had to." She collapsed against him and he hugged her tightly.  
  
"Its ok Hermione, I'm the sorry one, I'm sorry I scared you so much I don't know what got into me, that git rubs me the wrong way. I'm sorry." Madam Pomfrey came from her office and saw the added student, the two professors and the crying Hermione.  
  
"Miss Granger I asked you to fetch me when Mr. Malfoy awoke, Mr. Weasley I believe your fine to leave, just don't over-exert yourself. Now leave this isn't a social spot. And your upsetting Miss Granger, so scoot!" Ron squeezed Hermione's shoulder and left whispering 'we'll talk later' into Hermione's ear.  
  
Hermione was about to slip away and follow Ron when Dumbledor called her to the bed where Draco was sitting eating chocolate.  
  
"Miss Granger, since it seems Mr. Malfoy wasn't awake for the duration of the fight, we wonder what went on. Do you think you could tell us, from the beginning?" Dumbledor motioned for her to sit on the end of Draco's bed and she sat feeling uncomfortable, Snape, Draco, Pomfrey and Dumbledor were all watching her waiting. Hermione was used to answering questions for teachers, but everyone but the teacher usually ignored her during those times. But now four pairs of eyes were staring at her.  
  
"Madame Pomfrey had just asked up to leave the hospital wing and I bumped into Ron on the way down." Hermione recounted the whole experience, omitting the swearwords and tried to remain controlled.  
  
*  
  
"Ginny!" Harry called through the door to the fifth year girl dorms. This was starting to get on his nerves, Ginny refused to leave her room and no one seemed to want to help Harry in getting her out. "Come on Ginny, why are you mad at me?" finally after twenty minutes of calling through the door he got a response. Something heavy and solid hit the door, hard. The result was a large dent that showed on the outside. "Fine I give up! Rot if you like!" Harry screamed at the door and kicked it as hard as he could. He got stares from a group of third years leaving their dorm but just stomped off to the common room.  
  
When he reached the common room and sat in front of the fire, Ron was walking in. Harry almost called him over but remembered the little 'chat' they had had the night before and thought against it. But to his surprise Ron searched the room and set out to sit in the armchair next to Harry's.  
  
"You wont believe what just happened." Ron said as if they weren't fighting, as if he hadn't exploded at Harry only last night. Harry was about to say something rude back but was intrigued by what had made Ron forget their quarrel so easily.  
  
"What? Did you find out the last two days never happened and this has all been a sick twisted joke?" Harry said throwing a piece of newspaper into the roaring fire and watching it go up in flames. He was trying to act uninterested but couldn't help but lean over a bit as Ron spoke of what had happened up in the hospital wing corridor.  
  
".and when she revived me Malfoy was talking with Dumbledor and Hermione was crying because she thought I was going to kill him. You'd think she would be more worried about me getting kicked out rather then me killing Malfoy. But that strangest thing was the laughing. They were both laughing, and not fake laughing I could tell both of them were all flushed and out of breathe. Then he helped her up. It was like that twilight show you showed me, like everything was wrong in my vision but like normal for them. When I left she was sitting on Malfoy's bed." Ron finished out of breath; he had divulged the whole story quickly and without stopping. Harry felt anger rise up in him as his mind cooked up a suspicious concoction.  
  
"You know what I think?" Harry said, teeth clenched, staring into the fire fiercely as if it were Draco Malfoy and his eyes could explode him upon sighting him. "I think Hermione had been as crooked as me, and I think Malfoy is who she has been with. He was there this morning, on about Hermione's bag. Pomfrey let him in over me, and he gave me this smug little look." Harry stood and started to pace the hearth. Ron stood and grabbed his friend's shoulder forcing him to stop and face him.  
  
"Harry, think about what you just said. Hermione would never do that in a hundred years, she loved you and she would have rather die then do to you what you did to her. I don't want to hear anything along those lines from you again, and if I do, I'm not sticking around." Again Ron left Harry fuming and alone.  
  
*  
  
Hermione said goodbye to the headmaster and her Potions master and turned back to Draco. As soon as the professors had left he had slumped back into his pillows defeated.  
  
"Are you in a lot of pain Draco?" Hermione asked standing up from the foot of the bed and moving to sit next to him, pulling the covers higher up on his chest and putting her cool hand on his arm.  
  
"I'm fine, don't fuss." She stood up again and moved to leave.  
  
"I'll get Pomfrey, she'll have something for the pain in her stores. She usually doesn't heal fighting bruised but I think this can be an acceptation." She stopped at his warm hand on her wrist.  
  
"Don't go, I'll be fine, just." he looked away and then back then away again. Hermione sat back down on the bed and tried to understand his being timid. Suddenly Draco Malfoy, cool and collected Draco Malfoy was being shy about something.  
  
"What's wrong Draco?" Hermione asked when he finally looked back at her. A battle going on behind his eyes. "Are you ok?" she could feel his pulse raging from his hand around her wrist and she could see him preparing for something.  
  
"I will be." He said, and then pulled her by her wrist towards him, pulling her against his chest and captured her lips with his. For a second Hermione couldn't respond, she was shocked her heart skipped a beat and then she was kissing him back. His hand left her wrist and crept to the back of her neck deepening the kiss by bringing her closer to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and they kissed like this till they were out of breath.  
  
"There all better." Draco whispered against her skin as he struggled for a breath. And then started it all again.  
  
*  
  
Thanks to:  
  
Jnnyfr14 Dmlgal Heather Qod15 Mara-Potter Just4Draco99 Blue_strawberry52 The lost Dragongirl  
  
I would write a thanks for each but its Christmas eve and I'm supposed to be getting ready so next time I will! 


	4. Have it Your Way Then

Have It Your Way Then  
  
A/N: Since I cant seem to get italics to work all thoughts will be in ok? Sorry about that. I hope everyone enjoys this Chapter and I was wondering about a beta reader. Anyone interested just e-mail me ok? Bltchy_mama@hotmail.com  
  
*  
  
Hermione's head, which usually swam with thought, was delightfully blank. Only one thought escaped the fog. He tastes like chocolate.   
  
They were still in the hospital wing, still on the bed by the window, still surrounded by curtains, still kissing. Anyone of a number of people could walk in at any moment. Madame Pomfrey could come in, Parkinson could come in, Ron could come looking for Hermione, and Neville could come in for any random thing. But all worries were out of Hermione's head, until that is, Draco pulled away.  
  
"We should stop." He said breathing heavy and his voice husky; he still had his hand on the back of her neck but made no move to remove it. "Pomfrey could come in." Hermione watched as he licked his swollen lips then as his eyes danced from her own eyes to her lips.  
  
"Soon." Was all she could manage before he pulled her back against him, groaning with the slight pain of his forming bruises. Never before had Hermione lost all reason by kissing someone. Not Krum, not Harry. It was like plunging into a deep lake, the water warm and cloudy, and up and down was mixed up. It was like drowning but Hermione loved it.  
  
*  
  
"We should stop." Draco had no idea where that came from. He had no desire to stop kissing her. He also had no idea how or when he decided to kiss her in the first place. It just happened, and he loved it. "Pomfrey could come in."  
  
"Soon." She said and Draco instantly had the urge to kiss her again. And he did, he pulled her close and was lost in another long kiss, ignoring the pain of the bruises across his abdomen. She was warm against him and the skin he felt was soft, his hand on her neck felt as is it were resting on warm silk, and her now swollen lips were just as soft.  
  
Draco could feel his heart pounding and his mind racing, with everything that was wrong about what they were doing, and all the ways it felt so right. If anyone from Slytherin came in his father would her and then his plan would crumble. But then there was the look in her eyes every time he pulled away to end it. A look as if she had ended all the hate between them and trusted him. A look of openness and if not love, then like. Draco had never received a look like this from anyone. That's why I have to end it now. To keep it later. He pulled away.  
  
"Hermione," he said not knowing how he should say this. "We need to stop, and you need to leave." A look of pain replaced the trust he had seen in her eyes. She looked at her hands still on his shoulder and leapt up to go.  
  
"If that's what you want Draco." Panicking he grabbed her arm and brought her back down on the bed, holding her arm softly.  
  
You don't understand, we can't be seen..." she cut him off before he could finish explaining.  
  
"Oh, I forgot, what would a Slytherin wand with a Gryffindor Mudblood?" Again she tried to leave but Draco held onto her wrist and pulled her closer. With his free hand he turned her chin to look at him, she had been avoiding his gaze and he saw it was because there were tears in her eyes.  
  
"Hermione Granger, shut up and let me talk" he said frustrated. "I want to tell you something, but I need you to keep it a secret." Unsure of what he was doing Draco paused, but as she nodded he found he trusted this girl. A girl up until yesterday wasn't someone to even talk to. How could so much change in such a small period of time? So much had changed and he could feel it, in the air and in himself. He trusted Hermione Granger, he trusted her enough to tell her the plan. But would it help or harm?  
  
*  
  
"Are you mad?" Hermione asked pacing back and forth across the foot of the bed. She couldn't believe it, and Draco Malfoy of all people. Granted she had just drastically changed her attitude on Draco Malfoy, Hermione wasn't sure what was going on in his head. He had changed, changed enough to look at her in the eye without malice, what was it all about something like hormones, or was this change as deep as to have him follow through with the 'plan'?  
  
"Hey, I'm not the one who cooked up this whole plan, Dumdum did." Draco said folding his arms across his chest, looking uncomfortable under Hermione's gaze.  
  
"He would too." Hermione said to herself. She needed to get to the library to check out the things Draco had said. " I have to go." She stated.  
  
"Where?" Draco asked snatching up another piece f chocolate from his bedside table and biting into it.  
  
"Library, I have to look up this Adipate stone." She turned to leave but Draco called her back. "What?" she asked as he held up her bag, and when she dashed back to get it he caught her hand.  
  
"So you understand? My father hears about any of this he will suspect something. No one can know. My being 'Nice' as you say, or this," he said and pulled her towards him and kissed her briefly. "Anything could go wrong, anything could ruin Dumdum's plans." Hermione nodded, she wasn't sure it was such a bad thing everything was going to be secret. With everything that had just happened, with Harry and Ginny, she wouldn't like the rumors.  
  
"I understand. And stop calling him Dumdum, he is brilliant, if a bit mad." She smiled and stood up, " If you need anything I'll be in the library. But after a head injury I think you're in here overnight. Bye" she stole the chocolate halfway to his mouth and fled before the first pillow hit her.  
  
*  
  
Ron left the great hall and headed towards the dungeons. Class with Snape and the Slytherins was all he needed. Lunch was becoming too boring without his too best friends around. But then lunch would be too exciting if Hermione and Harry decided to pop in for lunch. He hadn't seen Hermione since the beginning of the lunch period when they were in the hospital wing. Today was going painfully slow for Ron.  
  
When he entered the classroom, Ron was surprised to see Hermione sitting behind her usual workbench, book on her lap and her fingers playing with a curl of her chestnut hair. She was completely oblivious of his entrance and seemed unfazed by the gurgling of the cauldron on Snape's work desk.  
  
"Hermione," he said sitting down next to her in the seat that used to be Harry's guess its mine now he thought absentmindedly. "Where were you? I haven't seen you all of lunch." She looked up from her book and regarded him briefly.  
  
"I was in the library, and I had to ask my morning teachers about homework." He should have known, homework, library, Hermione. "Oh, and I'm mad at you, just so you know." She added as if it were an afterthought. Ron was taken aback.  
  
"Why?" He asked pulling the book away from her because she had turned back to instead of looking at him. She tried without hope of retrieving the book back before sitting back in a huff and pouting. "Well why are you mad?"  
  
"You scared me half to death Ronald Weasley. I have never seen such a horrible thing from you. Poor Draco up in the hospital wing with a concussion."  
  
"Poor Draco? What about me, Snape gave me a month worth of detention. Besides he provoked me, he is the one you should be fuming at, he deserved worse then that. And besides I already told you I was sorry." Ron handed the book back to Hermione thinking that was that.  
  
"You said you were sorry for scaring me, but you never said sorry for almost killing him." Ron was shocked; nothing and no one would make him apologize to a Malfoy for anything. "And," she continued turning back to her book. "I will not forgive you until you swallow your pride and apologize to the person you really hurt."  
  
"Hermione your mad, be reasonable, Malfoy is a git. This is about pride, and I refuse to apologize for something that was well deserved." He turned from her and crossed his arms across his chest stubbornly. People began to file into the classroom and Hermione pushed yet another book into her bulging bag.  
  
"Have it your way then."  
  
* Harry ran at break neck speed towards the dungeons, he was going to be late for class and Snape would have a field day taking points away. Harry had spent the rest of the lunch period after Ron left to fume in anger in front of the fire, waiting for Ginny to come down from the girl's dorms. But she didn't and he had waited until the last possible moment before leaving for the dungeons. He would have made it too if it hadn't have been for Peeves, who had blocked the second floor corridor. His only relief was that Hermione hadn't gone to the morning classes and he was hoping she would miss this class as well.  
  
But as he ran through the open door of the potions dungeons and all eyes turned to him he knew he was wrong in his hope, as the only eyes not turned to him were Hermione's. She sat still writing the notes everyone had forgotten in the split second it took for Snape to snap at Harry.  
  
"Mr. Potter, how generous of you to grace us with your presence. I hope the lunch period was long enough for you, but I see that it must have been insufficient as you had such pressing matters to keep you detained." Snape's sarcasm made the Slytherins snicker at Harry and joyfully turn back to their work as Snape dished out his punishment. "I think we should make up for you precious lost time Mr. Potter, lets say twenty points from Gryffindor and detention tomorrow. Now sit down." Harry glanced at his fellow Gryffindors who had all decided to ignore him, ever since that morning Harry realized he needn't avoid his friends, they were ignoring him. Harry made his way to his workbench and sat down next to Ron, who also ignored him and looked to the board where Snape had written out the ingredients for the potion they were making that week.  
  
But before Harry could begin writing the notes out he noticed Snape giving him and his bench partners an odd look. He looked to be contemplating something, and it usually meant something very unfortunate was about to happen.  
  
"Actually, I think today we will start off with a little bit of seat arranging." The class shared a collective groan, which Snape ignored and pulled out the class registry. 'Yes, Miss Parkinson isn't here and Mr. Malfoy is in the hospital wing so those are empty seats right now. " Harry could hear Snape muttering to himself from his front row spot Hermione had insisted they get the first class. Harry didn't like the look in Snape's eye, and with good reason. "Miss Granger, take Miss Parkinson's place, Miss Brown take Miss Granger's old place and Mr. Weasley switch with Mr. Goyle." Harry waited a few moments as the Ron and Hermione left their bench and Lavender and Goyle came to sit. Harry also waited to be moved as well but Snape dropped the registry back on his desk and then sat behind it waiting for the class to finish taking down the ingredients.  
  
*  
  
Hermione let out a silent sigh of relief as she packed up her things and moved eagerly to the bench Pansy Parkinson shared with Draco and Crabbe. She ignored the whispers that erupted after Snape's sudden small re- arrangements and she ignored the odd look she was getting from Ron, who sat directly next to her in the row to the left of her.  
  
But Hermione forgot about everything else as she began her work on the potion for the week, it was won she had attempted successfully before during the summer when she attended a workshop in London. It was a potion called Poperozi potion and was a potion that influenced memories, it was taken when the brewer chose that they wanted to block a certain memory out of their minds. They took the same potion to reverse the effects. Ignorance is bliss Hermione thought remembering the famous saying.  
  
"I want everyone to work independently and brew this carefully, it is a difficult potion and will take you the rest of the week to complete. So you have three days, just enough time to let the potions simmer over the weekend and to be tested on Monday." He paused in his little speech and looked towards Neville's workbench. "Try not to muck this up, everyone who is able to actually brew this potion will receive extra marks. Begin now, the first three ingredients must be added by the end of class."  
  
Hermione happily bent over her ingredients and began to brew the potion. She had done a perfect job of the potion during the workshop and she had also found this difficult potion easy and relaxing as most of it was just adding the correct ingredients in the correct order. Hermione was in her element and nothing would stop her from the extra marks promised. She was so engrossed with her potion making that she didn't notice the classroom door opening or the third year whole hesitantly handed Snape a note. But she snapped to attention as Snape called her name. Well kind of called her name.  
  
"Prefect," he said in her direction as he swept towards the door with the third year in tow. 'Watch over the classroom, I must attend to something with the Headmaster." And with a glare of warning to the class to behave, he turned, robes billowing behind him and left the classroom, nearly slamming the door in the face of the third year.  
  
The class erupted in happy whispers but Hermione gave her classmates a sharp look and they went back to work, fir the most part, the class went silent aside for a few whispered conversations.  
  
*  
  
"You can get back to class Mr. Bradly." Severus said motioning for the third year to leave his side and the student thankfully fell back and returned to his afternoon lessons. He stepped up his pace in the absence of the student and hurried to the headmaster's office. When he reached the Gargoyle he took a second to remember the password 'skittles' and then ascended towards the office on the moving staircase.  
  
"You wanted to speak with me Albus?" Snape sat in his usual place in front of the large desk and questioned his friend. Too many times lately had there been reason to be pulled from a class in the middle of a lesson, he just hoped that he wasn't going to be detained long, he had left the class with two feuding students and a large number of Gryffindors compared to his small number of Slytherins.  
  
"Yes, I wont keep you long I just need to tell you I have just discovered Mr. Malfoy has told Miss Granger of our plans." The headmaster seemed unfazed by his own news. This had to be bad. Wasn't it?  
  
"Well there are many ways to erase the details from Miss Granger's memory, in fact we are brewing Poperozi potion today, no that would require her wanting to forget, and maybe we could..." Albus cut him off with an amused laugh.  
  
"Erase this? Severus are you not thinking of the opportunities this can bring? Don't you see what this means?" Albus was very confusing, if anything in the world this man was confusing.  
  
"What I am thinking about is the safety of Mr. Malfoy and Miss Granger, I'm thinking this means that there are now two students, if not more, that know of something that could have them killed, and I'm thinking that not only should Miss Granger be whipped of this memory but Mr. Malfoy as well." Severus finished his rant and tried to regain composer. Albus was looking at him calmly and with mirth in his eyes.  
  
"Now, I'm thinking that Hermione can be a great help to our cause, I know you are reluctant to admit it but she is a very intelligent witch and she is the reason Mr. Potter hasn't already been blown to bits. Also I see that this means there is trust in his heart. Draco has shown an emotion of love, trust. This means everything is falling into place."  
  
"I hope your right Albus, they are the only two students I can stand to put in front of a cauldron. But if this is all I need to get back, I don't know what mess started after I left, there are two Slytherins missing today, Miss Parkinson is also away from my afternoon." Albus shot straight out of his chair and straight to his most valued possession as a Headmaster. It was his master list, with each students name and where they were. " What is it?" no response, Albus ignored him as he hurriedly flipped to the P section and scanned down the list.  
  
" Well Severus it looks like you have Miss Parkinson in class," he again flipped the pages of the list back and searched the M section as he had the P section. "And it seems Draco has escaped Poppy and has made an appearance."  
  
"Oh shit!" Severus swore tearing towards the door, answering Albus' inquiries as he flew down the moving stairs with Albus closely behind him. "I moved a few students today, just Miss Granger and Weasley, but Miss Granger is in Miss Parkinson's old seat.uh.next to Draco." They flew down the hall and descended the stairs to the dungeons before Albus answered.  
  
"Well, this is going to be interesting. But you do realize that if Draco reveals his. um-kinder feelings towards Hermione everything will be lost, or worse. And I don't think its wise to send anyone else to the Hospital wing today, Poppy isn't in the best of moods today." They had reached the door to the potions lab and they could hear yelling inside.  
  
*  
  
Hermione tried to struggle against the bonds that held her in the air but it was no use. Pansy was livid and none of the Gryffindor students that tried could convince her to release her spell.  
  
"We swear, Snape moved her there, she didn't steal your spot. Now give me that wand." Ron tried to pry the wand out of Pansy's hand but she used her other hand to scratch the hand over her wand.  
  
"You're just lying for her, but she is trying to take everything away from me. First my Draco now my seat, little Mudblood whore." She twisted her wand and thus tightened the bonds on Hermione's writs and neck.  
  
"I didn't take anything from you! Snape moved me there, I swear. I have no idea what your talking about." Again Pansy twisted the bonds and Hermione cried out in pain. She was losing all circulation in her hands but she could still breath. Pansy opened her mouth to lash out again, venom in her eyes, when the door opened with a bang.  
  
"What the bloody Hell is going on here?"  
  
*  
  
"What the bloody Hell is going on here?" Draco looked at the suspended Hermione and felt panic flood through his body before he masked it and placed a mask of stone on. "Pansy why are you tormenting the Mudblood?" He carefully ignored the gasps from the Gryffindor lot as he moved casually towards the livid Pansy. "Now as entertaining as this is you know I'm a prefect and this is unacceptable behavior. So lower Granger. Where is Snape?" No one answered but Pansy twisted the bonds again before dropping Hermione to the ground where she kneeled massaging her neck.  
  
"She took my spot-" Pansy began to rant to the uninterested Draco when he was brushed past and Pansy was thrown back. It took a second for Draco to realize it was Hermione and she was now rolling around on the floor with Pansy trying to scratch and tear each other to death. Draco groaned inwardly as he calmly strode over to where the Slytherins and Gryffindors had grouped quickly around the catfight. Had this been anyone else, I would have taken bets he thought as he pushed past the group and found Hermione in the mess of hair and robes and yanked her off of Pansy by the waist.  
  
"Let me go!" she yelled trying to pull from Draco's grasp, twisting and prying at his fingers at her waist. "She came in here and attacked me from behind!"  
  
"You are a thief! I don't care what you say, you're trying to steal Draco from me!" Draco almost lost control of Hermione from her doubled attempt for freedom and the shock of Pansy's words. Before Hermione could respond Draco cut it.  
  
"Parkinson what in the Bloody hell are you on about? How can anyone steal me away from you if you never had me?" There was laughter from the crowd of students and Pansy began fuming even worse. Draco squeezed the still struggling Hermione and she stopped pulling away.  
  
"Let me go I wont do anything." He reluctantly released her and instantly had to grab the back of her robes as she lunged at Pansy again, pansy jumped back and hid behind Goyle who dumbly stood there.  
  
"Will you stop it already Prefect!" that did the trick, Hermione stopped, Draco gathered more of her robes in his hands and pulled Hermione further away from Pansy. "Now," he said smugly, using his power as a Prefect to take control. "What happened?" as Both Pansy and Hermione started explaining at once he added "Prefect?" and Hermione straightened up smugly.  
  
"I was sitting there doing my potion, which will be ruined if you don't let me get back to it soon, but I was just doing my work and she barged in, late I might add, and flung me across the wall accusing me of all sorts of rubbish." Hermione shot a look at Pansy. "And she attacked me from behind, chicken shit."  
  
"Draco she was in my seat!" Pansy yelled back at Hermione from where she was peeking out over Goyle's shoulder. Draco turned to Hermione for explanation but Weasley spoke up from his spot in the back of the crowd.  
  
"We told you Parkinson, Snape moved a few people around this morning, we told you that twice." The other Gryffindor chorused in agreement and Draco looked up as if he were frustrated instead of having fun.  
  
"One Gryffindor at a time please." He said and let go of Hermione's robes. "I want everyone back to their seats, to the seats they were assigned to this morning Parkinson. And someone tell me where Snape is?" Hermione looked up from straightening her ingredients on their workbench and her eyes snapped towards the door, panic flashing on her eye as she pointed behind him. He turned to see Snape stepping into the class.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy, I thought you were in the Hospital wing." Snape said, marching up to Draco, who now had a disheveled looking Pansy standing next to him. "Miss Parkinson, your late, I bet your wondering where you're sitting. Move over to the back table there with Mr. Longbottom in Miss Browns previous spot." Snape looked at Draco and he could see a mischievous glint in his eye. Draco could tell instantly that Snape knew about the whole fight and what it was about. He must have arrived in the hall just after Draco had gone into the classroom. This whole place has gone mad Draco thought as he made his way to the workbench he now shared with Hermione and began to unload everything he needed.  
  
"Oh and Miss Granger," Snape said from his desk, not looking up from his marking. "You might want to clean up that cut to your lip." Hermione's hand shot up and felt the small cut on her lip and then looked up at Draco, and Draco couldn't help snicker along with the rest of the Slytherins. She shot him a look and took out her wand and healed the cut instantly.  
  
Draco looked around the class to see everyone working on their potions again. Everyone But Harry Potter. Potter was looking straight at Draco with a look that made Draco wonder what the Boy-Who-Lived-And-Grew-Up-To-Be-A- Jerk was thinking. But after a second he seemed to realize Draco was looking right back, and with a matching look of hate plastered on his face, Potter looked back down and Draco turned back to his Cauldron. This is the wacky world I like in. he thought to himself measuring out beetle eyes for the potion. At least it stays interesting.  
  
* Special thanks to my reviewers:  
  
Guenevere Morgan: Thank you, I hope you continue to like the story, and I read your Really Dumb Things, its funny, I am almost the same during Chemistry, my sarcasm is the only thing keeping anyone awake in that class. Read on!  
  
Kenshin: thanks I enjoy getting reviews, and thumbs up.  
  
Dragon Girl: I went to your favorites and began reading In the eyes of a dragon, and I'm liking it so thanks for the semi recommendation.  
  
Morgan Riddle: Sorry about the typos I'm going to go back right now and read through this chapter to make sure there are no typos. Thanks.  
  
Death Ringer: Thank you but I don't mind the number of reviews, I'm sorry it took a bit for this chapter but I've had a lot of family stuff to do, Christmas and all. So I hope you enjoy this chapter its longer but not by much.  
  
The Lost1: I read Hate and Eek! Wine should be monitored! I can't wait till the next installment. I just wish you would write with more description, but it's just a suggestion, I love the story's plot so far!  
  
Dreaming One: I'm glad you enjoy the story so much; this is my favorite ship too. I would hope my story has a plot, but thanks for noticing, I know what you mean.  
  
dEsTiNy: I hope this kept you action addiction satisfied, but I know once I establish all the key points in the plot I can move on to more and more action so keep reading! 


	5. Flashbacks and Flashattacks

All you Wanted Chapter 5: Flashbacks and Flash Attacks  
  
Ginny poked her head around the corner. What am I going to do? She thought darting from the shadow of the girl's stairwell and into the nook next to the large tower windows. After straining her ear for any sound, and hearing none, Ginny cautiously stepped out into the common room and sighed, as she saw no one. But then it hit her.  
  
"Class!" she shrieked and scooped her bag up from the chair she had tossed it into when she rushed into the Gryffindor tower to escape everything, and everyone. As she rushed to transfiguration, Ginny pondered last night.  
  
As soon as Harry had darted after Hermione Ginny recovered from the shock. Not the shock of Hermione barging in, but the shock from the kiss. Harry was supposed to help Ginny with her charts. She had been late coming from potions, and Harry was waiting on the ledge of the observation deck balcony.  
  
Flashback  
  
"I'm so sorry Harry, Snape held me back," Ginny slammed her bag down and pulled her unfinished charts from the depths of her messy bag.  
  
"That's ok, when are these charts due in by?" Harry asked jumping down from the ledge and walking towards the table Ginny had set her charts on, glancing at them over her shoulder, close, so close she could smell the soap he used.  
  
"Um." Ginny stuttered, her head becoming light, his breath on her neck warm, sending chills up and down her spine. "Next Wednesday." She finally managed weakly, her head tilting to one side on its own accord, revealing more skin from her cloak.  
  
"That's plenty of time," Harry whispered resting his hand on her shoulders and turning her to face him. She grimaced as she knew she was blushing she could feel her face burning from thoughts of his lips. And as she was turned and saw the object of her thoughts, she tried to push them away, knowing they were wrong. But the thought had only a moment to sit on her brain when Ginny was suddenly pulled roughly towards Harry and his lips met hers.  
  
Ginny opened her mouth in surprise and Harry took it as an opportunity to move his tongue into her mouth. Instinctively Ginny moved her mouth to return the kiss. But even just responding felt wrong. This was Harry, Hermione was her best friend. Ginny moved to push Harry away, palms flat on his chest. His arms came up from her hips where they had been sitting and wrapped tightly around her slight frame. But before she could tear her lips away the door behind them opened and Harry leapt away.  
  
" Hermione?" Harry said then swore as Hermione fled with a strangled cry. A second later he was gone and Ginny let out a shaky breath she wasn't aware of holding. She felt compelled to cry but thought against starting there. She had to be alone where no one would bother her, she needed to cry alone.  
  
End of Flashback  
  
As the memory from the night before ended, Ginny found herself outside her transfiguration class. Her watch read that she was 10 full minutes late, and as she stepped into the quiet class, whispers sprung from her classmates, half Gryffindor, half Slytherin. Professor McGonagall gave a sharp look to the students who silenced right away, and then turned her stern gaze on Ginny who had reached her seat, red faced and queasy.  
  
"Miss Weasley, would you mind coming to class on time? 10 points from Gryffindor now take out your books and begin the readings on the board." Ginny did as she was told, sinking as far as she could into her chair. She tried to ignore the looks from her classmates and she tried to concentrate on her textbook. But it was no use. Damn it.   
  
*  
  
Hermione left the dungeons with Ron, and they headed towards Hagrid's hut. They had care of magical creatures with Slytherin, again. Ron was thoughtfully silent beside her, but Hermione wasn't thinking of Ron's odd silent ness. No Hermione was concentrating on the unmistakable feeling of being watched. That prickling, tingling feeling at the back of your neck that sent Goosebumps up and down your spine. Hermione was also concentrating on who was giving her the feeling. It had to be Harry; she had pulled on out of class and marched way ahead of the rest of the class moving towards Hagrid's hut. Harry was among the group flocking towards the gamekeeper's hut. And she could feel his gaze on her.  
  
Suddenly Ron spoke up, snapping Hermione out of her daze and pulling her mind away from the strange feeling at the back of her neck. "Hermione I know this is going to be hard for you." Ron was uncharacteristically serious and it struck Hermione to listen up what Ron was saying. It was rare to get a serious response from him and they usually came out being, for the most part, right. He continued turning to her and halting their walk. "I want to be able to help you Hermione but I know this is rather personal, and I'd just get in the way. But I want you to know that I am here. I always am. Now I'm going to have a talking to with Ginny, and I already had two with Harry. But right now we are just going to get through Care of Magical creatures alive." He smiled and the aged look that had adorned his face vanished. He linked arms with her and she felt he was trying hard, and as he pulled her towards the hut, he tried to make it all right. "Besides, we have to inform Hagrid of a partner switch. My new partner Hermione Granger."  
  
"You know I think your right Ron," Hermione laughed as Ron stuck out his chin proudly and they marched to the hut, the rest of the class had about caught up with them and before Ron could tell the waiting Hagrid about the new partners Hagrid changed them himself.  
  
"Right," he said looking over the group of students. Hermione could tell he was upset about something, and she had a sick feeling in her stomach. "Now before we get started, there are a few changes." His eyes flickered towards Hermione, who he had been avoiding looking at. "Now Dumbledor insists on us.er.mixing up the houses. So here goes." He pulled out a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket and ignored the complaints from the students. "Harry, your with Goyle. Ron your with Crabbe. Pansy and lavender. Hermione your with Draco. Millicent with Seamus. Nott with Parvatie, and Taylor with Neville." The class stood still and looked around in disbelief, few shooting Harry dirty looks, knowing the real reason the seating in their last class and the partners in this class were being changed.  
  
Hermione looked first to Ron who looked back at her suspiciously. Hermione could tell he thought she had something to do with the changes in all their classes. Her anger flared and she poked him sharply in the ribs.  
  
"What was that for?" Ron demanded, rubbing his sore side,  
  
"Don't give me that look Ron, I have nothing to do with the new arrangements in all the classes. I'm as surprised as you. You'd think they would let us work these things out for ourselves."  
  
"Well Hermione," Ron dropped his voice to a whisper and looked in Harry's direction before continuing. "Its not that, well, Harry has this theory, and I'm not sure I should tell you. But by the way things are working out it looks like he might be right. Even though I know different." Hermione was about to demand to know what Harry's 'theory' was. But Hagrid had begun to lead them towards large paddocks behind his house, shouting instructions.  
  
" Now, everyone in their partners, quickly. We are going to study Kelpie, and I'm going to warn you not to remove their bridles." Instantly Hermione forgot about Ron and Harry and moved excitedly towards Draco and the front of the group. She had read about Kelpie, they were beautiful creatures. They could change form but commonly took the shape of a white horse. Kelpies were only manageable once a bridle was placed on them.  
  
"Now, there is one Kelpie for each pair and today all I want is for you to become familiar with your Kelpie and gain its trust."  
  
* Draco winched inwardly. This was going to be hard. Pansy refused to leave his side and Hermione was already on her way. The bruise on her faces a dark rude purple. Even with Pomfrey witnessing the 'fight' she still called it a fight bruise and refused to clear it up. But in return there were three scratches going down Pansy's cheek where Hermione had attacked her, they were red and puffy and Pansy winced every time she brought up her hand to brush the marks with her fingertips.  
  
"Pansy, Brown is waiting." Draco said trying to get rid of the girl before Hermione reached them.  
  
"Please Dracoco, "Pansy wined using her nickname for Draco, the one he hated more then the girl herself. " I don't want to go with boring Brown. And I can't stand to leave you with the Mudblood." Controlling his voice, Draco responded as quietly as he could.  
  
"But Pansy, as a prefect I must set an example. Now run along." Pansy made a sad attempt at pouting and then stalked out in search of Brown.  
  
"Well shall we?" Draco turned to see Hermione standing behind him, arms crossed and a cold look plastered on her face. Draco was momentarily taken back by the cool tone he was receiving from her but caught on.  
  
" Yes granger, just don't touch me in anyway. I've spent enough time in the hospital wing, and getting decontaminated because you touched me isn't something I call fun." Draco winked at her before walking ahead of her towards the Kelpie paddocks. When she caught up she was quick to shoot back an insult.  
  
"I wouldn't worry about me touching you Malfoy. I'd sooner die. I'm more worried of catching some disease just standing this close to you."  
  
They had reached the paddocks and there were nine Kelpie running, and lounging in the paddocks. Hagrid turned excitedly to the class. "Each Kelpie has a number on its bridal, pick a number out of this tin," Hagrid held up a metal coffee tin as he spoke handing it to Hermione next to him. "The number matched your Kelpie." Hermione pulled out a small tag with the number 4 printed on it and handed the tag to Draco.  
  
"Hermione, I need to go an' talk to Filtch about something, I want you to go to me hut and Grabbe the buckets of meet there. So we can feed these buggers, take Malfoy with you but watch it, he don't like Fang all that much. " Hagrid didn't eve look up from undoing the knots on the paddock's gate.  
  
"And that's bad because?" Hermione said already walking away towards the back door of Hagrid's hut.  
  
"Watch it Granger. Many, Many girls would be heart broken if that mutt disfigured me in anyway." Draco caught up to her and playfully pulled onto her hair. She spun and pushed his arm away.  
  
"So much for being Lady-Like Hermione." Draco said pulling the gate in Hagrid's pumpkin patch open and letting her through first. Hermione snorted indignantly.  
  
" I didn't even push you that hard you big baby!" He just rolled his eyes and shook his head.  
  
"I didn't mean just now, I meant that little show I got on return from the hospital wing. I swear you just answered the dreams of half the guys back there." Draco smirked at the disgusted look on Hermione's face. Hermione felt she would throw up. She stopped and turned with her hands on her hips, and angry expression on her face. Had this been Ron or Harry they would have flinched in fear, but being Draco he just smirked and crossed his arms.  
  
"What is it with guys and cat fights?" The age-old question, and Draco laughed before answering.  
  
"Well the best of many fantasies, including the old cat fight one, ends in some girl on girl action." He smirked at her and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. She chose to ignore this.  
  
"Draco that's disgusting!" Hermione opened the door to Hagrid's hut without thinking and Fang leapt past her and straight onto Draco. Pushing him down with his massive paws on his chest. But instead of barking or biting Draco, Fang opened his large mouth and licked the side of Draco's head. Hermione couldn't help but burst out laughing.  
  
"Get him off! Off!" He tried to shove the large dog off of him but it was no use. When Hermione could finally manage to find enough air she put two fingers in her mouth and whistled.  
  
"Fang off!" Instantly the dos stopped its greeting a la tongue, and leapt off Draco and bound towards her, skidding to a halt and sitting excitedly at her feet. She reached out and pat the dog fondly on the head. "Good boy Fang."  
  
"Good boy?" Draco said sitting up and whipping his cheek with his green and silver scarf. "He attacked me!"  
  
"Attacked? Don't be silly Draco, Fang was giving you kisses, weren't you Fang?" Draco stood up with a look of disbelieve plastered on his face. Hermione was petting the Mutt's head and speaking to it as if it were a baby.  
  
"I'd rather not get 'kisses' from this overgrown mutt." Hermione looked up at him and smiled coyly, and stepped up to stand in front of Draco, mere inches away from him, and a serious expression on her face.  
  
"Would you like kisses from me?" she asked innocently playing with his necktie, her brown eyes shining mischievously.  
  
"Well, that's a somewhat better offer." Draco felt his heart start pumping faster as he pulled her towards him, his hand on the small of her back, and she smiled up at him putting her hands on his chest.  
  
"And I would be happy to oblige, but you have dog spit all over your face." With that she spun out of his grip and dashed into the hut, Fang right behind her.  
  
"Why toy little-"  
  
*  
  
"Weasley, you're stepping on the bridle." Ron turned to see a smug looking Draco Malfoy standing on the other side of the fence, a large bucket in his arms.  
  
"Mind your own business Malfoy." Ron turned away from the annoying Malfoy but whipped back around at the look of Malfoy. The left side of his head was the normal pristine vision, but the right side was a site. His silky silver hair was sticking up at the side as if it were gelled up.  
  
"Well Malfoy, did your Kelpie take a liking to you?" Ron hadn't actually seen Malfoy near a Kelpie, but the look of confusion on his face was priceless.  
  
"What are you on about Weasley?"  
  
"Draco," Crabbe said coming up behind Ron and pulled the bridle right out from under Ron's foot. "What have you done to your hair?" Even though Ron was just a bystander by now, he couldn't help but laugh as Malfoy set his large bucket down quickly and felt his hair. Realization dawned on him and his face grew red with anger.  
  
"Granger!" Draco leapt over the side of the paddock and stalked right over to where Hermione was, taking one look at her laughing, almost to tears, and was about to say something when Parkinson ran over and grabbed his arm.  
  
"Oh Dracoco! What did the mudblood do to your hair?"  
  
Ron was an easygoing guy, he knew his limits and so did his friends, for the most part. Anyone who knew Ron knew that there were two things that always pushed him too far. The first was someone threatening his dignity. And the second was someone hurting his friends and family. So when Ron heard the hurtful words leave Parkinson's mouth he couldn't control his anger. Seeing Hermione stop her joyful laughter straight away showed that she had heard the Slytherin.  
  
"Parkinson, I don't care if you're a girl or not!" Ron pulled out his wand and preformed the same spell that had backfired on him in his second year. But this time there was no broken wand. Pansy was thrown forward into the dirt and when she sat up she was spitting both dirt and slugs disgustedly. There was a burst cheering and laughing by many Gryffindor, but the Slytherins just ignored Parkinson, who had begun to sob between each slug.  
  
*  
  
Hermione tried to hide her smile as Parkinson pulled herself out of the dirt but she couldn't help it. The girl in front of her, who usually was too stuck up to even think about dirt, was covered in it. She held her arms away from her sides, as if thinking they would be contaminated if they came in contact with her now dirty robes. Her sobs were accompanied with large pitiful tears that streaked her face, causing the dry dirt to turn sticky and thick. Hermione watched as Parkinson swerved and faced Ron, rages showing through her tears. She took a step towards him but faltered as she started to gag. She doubled over and spit the largest and slimiest slug Hermione had ever seen.  
  
"You.you.you'll get it for this!" Pansy pointed towards Hermione as she spoke to Ron, "I'm sick of everyone sticking up for her, if she's so smart then why does she need her fan club helping her out?" Another slug came up and Parkinson ducked down again in disgust. Ron took this opportunity to laugh and snap back at her.  
  
"Parkinson the only reason Hermione hasn't already blown you to little Slytherin smithereens, is because, unlike you, she isn't violent, and she isn't harboring same sex tendencies." The entire class burst into gales of laughter, Slytherins included. Parkinson looked as if she had swallowed a slug instead of spitting one up, she looked to her dorm mates for support but they too were laughing.  
  
"Well I never! Weasley I don't know what sick fantasies you have been having but I would rather you didn't include me in them." Ron shook his head as if to shake a thought from his head before shuddering.  
  
"Parkinson, if we were the last people on earth I would sooner eat you then even think of you in that way." Hermione was shocked by Ron's forwardness but everyone else was finding it too hilarious. Hermione was used to Ron blushing and ducking out of these types of confrontations. Hermione briefly wondered that, as a prefect, she shouldn't be watching everything like this. But just briefly. "Its pathetic you know Parkinson," Ron continued, "Hanging off Malfoy like that when he clearly would rather be boiled and then skinned alive. Even you can't be that blind. But then again ignorance is bliss, you must lead a very blissful life." His words were harsh and he began to circle the girl, who had stopped spitting up slugs and was standing stalk still in the circle of students who had gathered to watch Ron spitting insults at her. Tears started to run down her cheeks once again and she sniffed quietly. " I used to think you playing the dumb blond for effect. But know I think its no act, I don't think anyone is that good of an actress." Hermione silently scolded herself as she watched Pansy take each insult, if this had been anyone else, any other person she would have stopped this right away, but Pansy had made herself detestable, by even Hermione's standards.  
  
The person next to Hermione shifted his weight uncomfortably. Hermione looked up at his face and ignored the humorous appearance of his hair. He looked as if her were contemplating a decision, he stood with his arms folded, brow furrowed and eyes narrowed.  
  
"Are you going to do anything about this Draco?" Hermione asked silently and his eyes snapped from the scene in front of him as Ron continued his verbal attack, and to Hermione as if snapping out of a dream. "We are prefects we shouldn't be watching this." His nod did nothing to help her.  
  
"I'm trying to decide how to do this without seeming to care, and without Weasley using me as a punching bag for interrupting him while he is on a roll." He smirked and uncrossed his arms, he took out his wand and muttered a simple re-arranging spell, and his hair was back to its pristine manner. He checked his robes and then stalked forward a few steps, as he already had front row seats. "Alright Weasley, we all understand that Parkinson is pathetic, now lets all get back to our Kelpies before that oaf of a teacher comes back and decides that we are not ready for such large animals and demotes the lot of you back to flabberworms." There were scattered laughs and everyone left the scene and moved off to their Kelpie. Pansy stood staring at the ground and refused to look up at the three people still standing close by. Ron shifted feet and Hermione could see he was snapping out of whatever adrenalin rush was motivating his mouth.  
  
"Alright Ron get back to your Kelpie, Crabbe shouldn't be able to manage alone much longer." Hermione prodded Ron towards his Kelpie with a worried look and he returned the look with a gracious nod. Hermione could feel the tension between herself and Parkinson grow thicker and cleared her throat before Draco decided to speak.  
  
"Off to the lavatory with you Parkinson and splash cold water on your face or something. Don't take more then ten minutes or its points from Slytherin." Pansy nodded, still facing the ground, and quickly walked away and out of the paddock.  
  
"Well that was nicely done," Hermione began slowly. "Couldn't just let her go without saying something to embarrass her further in front of the entire class?" Draco turned to her shaking his head and attempted a smile.  
  
"Hermione don't. You know as well as anyone how insufferable she is. If I had been all defensive for her it would have undone all the good Weasley just managed to do." Hermione decided he was probably right and they set off to get to know their Kelpie. A few minutes after they had begun to get acquainted with their Kelpie Hagrid strode over and nodded to Draco before turning to Hermione with a smile.  
  
"Everything in order?" He asked looking around the paddock for bloodshed. "No trouble?" Before Hermione could answer Draco cut her off.  
  
"When was there ever a day that passed in this school that trouble didn't arise in this class?" He asked coolly, and Hagrid shook his head.  
  
"Good point there Malfoy."  
  
*  
  
I have an excuse! This has taken this long because my sister, Valerie, took the disk that this was on and tried to hang it in to her teacher! Sorry, hope this is good enough to make up for the time lapse! This was almost 4 thousand words so I think you wont be too upset! Sorry! More soon! Thanks:  
  
Fire and Night: Thanks I will!  
  
Lillylips3: Thanks; you'll have to wait for the plan though!  
  
Casper: Thanks, sorry it took so long to update!  
  
Amber: thanks I hope you got the e-mail!  
  
Blue Eyes: I'm glad you enjoy my story!  
  
Morgan Riddle: I agree Pansy sucks! Thanks for the review~!  
  
Blondie6(sic)6: Thank you! I'm glad. Just wait the plan is coming!  
  
Roswelliandarkangel: Thanks!  
  
DragonGirl: Thank you! 


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